A Very Team Possible Christmas
by Rye-bread
Summary: Inspired by A Very Possible Christmas. Kim wants to celebrate the Holiday with her new boyfriend and new Team Possible members. no action, just fluff. a Coeur de Lion story.
1. Chapter 1

inspired by A Very Possible Christmas

all the characters belong to Disney

Except Richard Harte, who is inspired by Richard Lionheart, who was created by Richard Sirios, and can be seen at Richard's Page of Fanatism

and at Lionheartcartoons at DeviantArt

no action, just fluff

let the holidays commence

A Very Team Possible (Stoppable, Harte, Load) Christmas

chpt. 1: Snow Queen

Dr. James Timothy Possible looked out the sliding glass door to his deck with perplexity: "Uhh, Kimmie Cub, Ron and Rich are out here--."

Kim was sixty seconds away from sliding under the flannel sheets of her warm comfy bed--until she heard her father downstairs. She grumbled, put on her fluffy terrycloth bathrobe over the shorts and tank top she customarily wore to bed and went out to see what was going on.

Her father was frowning and pointing to his wristwatch. She yawned, nodded, looked out the window--and rubbed her bleary eyes.

Those two clowns were reclining on chaise longues--dressed in parkas, snowshoes,--and bermuda shorts. It was like something they would do for G.A.D.'s: Goofballs And Dorks.

When Ron Stoppable and Rich Harte became the best of friends, they founded a very exclusive club, Goofballs And Dorks. She was never sure whose idea it was, her boyfriend's or her new partner's. She only knew it was a source of constant embarrassment. it was their weekly descent into insanity; every week they would pick out a day at random and dress in the most outlandish theme costumes. First it was Hula Day: grass skirts and leis; Rich wore a coaconut bra; Kim cringed with dismay; Barkin made them take off the costumes by lunch. Next week it was Hobo Day: grubby ragged clothes and bindles. The week after that it was Siesta Day: sombreros and serapes. Barkin was particularly irate that day; he had gotten angry phone calls from the Middleton Diversity League; they were the watchdogs of political correctness and mult-culturalism. Never mind that the Latino students loved the show: there were catcalls of "Ese" and "At last, the Anglos are learning how to dress." Rich and Ron were taken to the office and sternly lectured about bias and insensitivity. Why they were never suspended was a mystery to her; maybe it was the intervention of her parents--or their parents. Why they did it also baffled her; the best explanation she could come up with was that Ron felt free and confident for the first time in his life; as Kim's boyfriend he no longer felt at the bottom of the "food chain"; and Rich likewise felt freed up to unbend and enjoy being absurd, serious student that he was.

But tonight she had to sent them home. She slid open the glass door and stuck her head out into the cold December air; it was a shock; she could see her breath.

She yawned: "What are you guys doing here? You know it's past curfew."

"Aw, K.P., cut us some slack. We're two days away from Christmas Break!"

"Guys--if tomorrow were the last day, it would be no big; but the teachers so love to give us assignments and quizzes up 'til then. Ron--I love it that you're around me most of the day, but I hit the books after you left earlier--which you two dorks ought to be doing! Now--I love you both--but go home!

Ron gave an imitation of the Puppy Pout. "The Ron-ster needs some T.L.C."

Kim shook her head. "Oh, all right--one kiss--then you're gone!"

Ron viewed her admiringly: bathrobe, not a trace of makeup, hair disheveled; she was still the most beautiful creature alive. He almost regretted the stunt he and Rich were about to pull.

Her fuzzy slippered feet stepped out into the snow; she brushed her hair from her face and leaned over to kiss Ron--and suddenly the two boys reached up and seized her wrists.

She was caught completely by surprise: "Wha--huh?" Her head turned from side to side as she stared at them both.

Grinning like idiots, they were dragging her to the edge of the deck. She saw the huge pile of snow that the tweebs has shoveled off the deck earlier. "No! Please! Stop! I will so kill you two"

It was no use; the girl who could hold her own against a crowd of super-villain henchmen was entirely at a disadvantage.

"Nice fluffy snow," Ron said. "Soft as down," said Rich.

At the edge of the deck they gently tossed her into the deep snowbank: "And we hereby crown you Snow Queen." They fell to their knees and bowed up and down: "We're not worthy, we're not worthy."

She came up sputtering, her red hair flecked with snow, her green eyes sparkling with anger. "You both are so dead!" She started lobbing twin handfulls of snow at their faces.

The tweebs had heard the commotion and clambered downstairs. "Hushu! Snowball fight." They shot like bullets out the glass door.

Rufus popped out of Ron's parka and squeaked merrrily.

Dr. Dad was completely flustered; "Jim! Tim! Kim! Rufus! Ron! Rich!" His eyes bulged and his mouth hung open; and all at once a petite hand shoved him in the back out into the cold; Dr. Mom was grinning fiercely. She slid out, scooped up some snow, and began plastering it on her husband's head.

It would be midnight before calm was restored, hair was towelled dry, wet clothes were changed, steaming mugs of cocoa were drunk, children were sent to bed, and two sly conspirators were sent home.

And, of course, two parents hugged and kissed--and two teenagers, as well.

The tweebs had asked: "Rich; don't you have a girlfriend?"

He smiled and shook his head; his abiding joy was to see the two friends he loved more than life drawing close to each other.


	2. Chapter 2

A very Team Possible (Stoppable, Lionheart, Load) Christmas.

Kim and Rich's planning sessions are inspired by the "Something is up" picture at Richard's page of Fanatism.

The reference to Rich's Big Cheerleading Plan is inspired be the "Rich's Big Cheerleading Plan" at Richard's Page of Fanatism.

Richard Harte, his sister Daphne, and Team Harte are inspired by Richard Lionheart, his sister Helen, and Team Heart, the artistic creations of Richard Sirois; his works are found at Richard's Page of Fanatism and Lionheartcartoons at DeviantArt.

I chose "Drake" as the last name for Erik the synthodrone "boyfriend" in KP:StD.

Ophelia Mahalia Load, or "Mother Load" is based on the real-life Mother Wattles of Detroit, MI, who in the 1960's, -70's, -80's, and -90's fed and clothed the poor of Detroit at her Perpetual Mission, and distributed household articles and toys for the young every Christmas from her warehouse. I envision Mother Load as someone strong and nurturing, a tad overwhelming: think Pearl Bailey, Maya Angelou, Queen Latifah, etc.; but let my readers judge.

_**CHAPTER 2: PLANNING SESSION**_

Kim Possible knocked on the door of the Harte house. Richard Harte was expecting her; he opened the door and welcomed her. She grinned and asked, "Hey Rich, what's the sitch?" He sighed and said, "Come on in."

It was her traditional greeting, and his mild annoyance was the traditional response; it was one of the many rituals that had developed in the friendship over the months.

Today was the first day of Christmas break for Middleton High School, and was also the day for one of Kim and Rich's weekly planning sessions, held in Rich's study at the Harte house; it was where Ron Stoppable and Rich had their Game Nights, and Rich's inner sanctum. The tradition of a planning and strategy session had started soon after Team Harte had joined Team Possible, which had followed the Middleton Junior Prom. Rich had discovered that Kim had much to offer in the way of battle-tested experience, and Kim had discovered that Rich had much to offer in the way of keen scholastic insight; and so the unofficial leader of Team Possible and the unofficial leader of Team Harte would meet once a week or so. In the beginning, there was some disagreement; Kim could be temperamental, and Rich, though more easy going, could be just as stubborn. Kim often looked on Rich as an overeducated stuffed shirt, and Rich often looked on Kim as a boy-crazy cheerleader, and at times both were right. She would tend to undervalue his opinion because she viewed him and quiet and nerdish, and he would sometimes undervalue her opinion because he viewed her as less learned than him.

The topic of discussion that week was light; the villains had been quiet of late; they sat instead with a stack of Middleton yearbooks, reminiscing about the years.

Kim had grown up in Middleton, the overachieving eldest child of two overachieving parents, James Timothy and Annette Possible, who were themselves from overachieving families. Anything is possible for a Possible, they would tell her in their relentless optimism; and so a website for babysitting requests became a beacon for those who could find no other means of help, and a cheerleading acrobatic ability became a super-heroine acrobatic ability, and a young webmaster Wade Load became a young inventor Wade Load, supplying her with an arsenal of high tech weaponry. A former boyfriend had asked, "What's this thing with missions?" and she had off-handedly answered, "Oh, it's a save-the-world thing."

Rich and his sister Daphne had grown up in Kenjijen, Japan, a small town south of Tokyo, the twin children of Rev. Leo Benjamin and Mary Beth Harte, a missionary couple. While the children were still very young,Mary Beth had been exposed to nerve gas in a terrorist attack on the Tokyo subways. She seemed to have no ill effects at first, but over the next few years suffered creeping paralysis. In a desperate last attempt at finding medical help, the Hartes flew to Middleton, Colorado, to see a highly recommended neurosurgeon: Dr. Possible. There was no help; but a close knit friendship had formed, as the two women wrote to each other for the last few years of Mary Beth's life; they even called each other by their college nicknames: "Mamie" for Mary Beth, and "Posey" for Annette Possible, and Destiny began to weave her fabric.

With the death of Mary Beth, Leo brought his family back to America--in time to see 9-11. All these things created a profound impression in young Richard's heart, and he resolved to do something.

Rich and Daphne were attending Upperton High School. Rich watched Kim's website with keen interest, and he and Daphne began an enterprise of their own, Team Harte. Daphne proved herself as capable a programmer and tech maven as Wade Load; the two met online, and became a part of each other's research network.

There was a student exchange program, and Rich could avail himself of Middleton High's vaunted art program. He could watch Team Possible from front and center. Their father accepted a pastorate in Middleton at St. Barnabas Church. Rich and Daphne became full time students at Middleton High. Team Possible was operating in plain view, and Team Harte was below the radar. They might have joined forces except for one thing: Kim and Daphne couldn't stand one another.

Daphne was infuriated with a. Kim's wardrobe--the crop-top--and b. Kim's addiction to the social ladder, the Food Chain; the way she was hung up with Josh Mankey and leaving Ron Stoppable high and dry made Daphne seethe. In her mind it was behavior unworthy os someone doing missions. "She's a Popular Girl, a Cheerleader; she thinks she's 'All That'; we don't need that, Ricky!" she insisted, calling Rich by his childhood nickname.

Kim could sense the resentment, but thought it was more of a religious thing. "That stuck-up Pastor's Kid, that Holier-Than-Thou; she thinks she's 'All That'!"

Boonie Rockwaller, the prime bottom feeder of the Food Chain, could see Kim's feelings and fed into it.

Kim even ventured a comment once: "Does that girl wear a camisole or a corset? She so needs to loosen up!" It gained great approval with the Food Chain, but Ron expressed reproach over it and Kim relented.

Kim even had her own nicknames for Rich and Daphne based on their appearance; she would often see them together at the Maddog games. She noted: "They even look alike: the glasses; it's like a pair of bookends;" and the nickname stuck: Rich was called "the Artist" because he was an art student; Daphne was called "the Librarian" because of her severe appearance and modest dress. Bonnie Rockwaller indulged in all manner of lewd comment of an incestuous relationship between brother and sister.

Rich could sense the conflict between Daphne and Kim but he bided his time; he had a greater goal, a greater agenda in mind:a fusion, an alliance of Team Possible and Team Harte.

It was the Night of Carnage, as the media called it, when Drakken's Little Diablos ran amok, that brought Team Harte to the surface. While Kim and Ron were dealing with Drakken, Shego, and Erik Drake at Bueno Nacho Headquarters, Daphne and Rich were defending Middleton and Middleton High.

It was the shock of a lifetime to Kim that another Team--at the same town--the same school--those two--were doing missions. It took weeks of effort by Ron and Rich to smooth the water between Kim and Daphne.

Daphne insisted that there was a gap in Kim's behavior: Kim the heroine associated with people of every social and ethnic class; on missions, people she had helped would thank her for rescuing their firstborn, or their business, or whatever, and she would modestly say that it was "no big"; but at school, under the watchful eye of the Food Chain, she would avoid the dweebs, nerds, and dorks. Daphne maintained that Kim's growth as a person could be traced; she initially defied the Food Chain and accepted Ron Stoppable as her boyfriend; the next step was accepting the Book-ends, the Artist and the Librarian as Richard and Daphne Harte, fellow heroes and members of Team Possible. Rich would gently remind her of the words of the Master: let them without sin cast the first stone, and if your brother or sister has a speck in their eye, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly the speck in their eye.

That was then and this was now.

The red-haired head and the brown-haired head bowed over the shared yearbook.

Kim nudged Rich. "You were such a dweeb."

Rich nudged Kim back. "And you were such a diva."

She cuffed his arm with mock indignation. "I was not!"

"Well, I wasn't a dweeb;" and on it went.

Daphne glanced in, and they looked so warm and happy together. At times she almost wished that those two...but Rich would put his foot down like a ton of bricks at even the mere mention of a pairing off of himself and Kim; Ron was his friend, closer than a brother.

"You remember the time I called your hairstyle the 'Poofy'."

Kim laughed. "He was _so_ tweaked; you may as well have insulted Bueno Nacho."

"He stood up as solemn as a judge, and said, 'Dude--it's the _'Flippy'_, not the _'Poofy'_'!" and they both laughed.

"And do you remember the first time you heard my Dad call me 'Kimmie Cub'? You looked at me and you said_ "--Kimmie--Cub?"_

"And you gave me the most evil eye; you said, "Don't even think about; otherwise I'll call you 'Ricky'!"

Kim looked up from the yearbook. "Rich, my family has this huge Christmas party every year. Nana even comes up in time to participate."

"Ron mentioned it; you guys watch the Snowman Hank special; he remembers the year with Drakken and Shego with special fondness."

"I want to have a small intimate party with my team--just us."

Daphne cut in; normally she would hold her peace, but she spoke up. "There's someone you have to include--Wade."

Kim responded: "Daphne---you're right!"

Rich chimed in: "Good call, Sis; but, are we sure we can get Wade out of his room?"

It was a good question. Wade was more than just a typical computer nerd recluse; he was a true genius; his IQ almost defied measurement. He made his mother both very proud of his ability and his family very wealthy by commanding huge consulting fees for numerous electronics firms--his mother also had a canny business sense; but he also had the emotional baggage; he dealt with people through the computer monitor; his best friend, Kim, had never seen him in person. His mother's love had helped keep him on an even emotional keel, and his involvement with Kim's mission-ing had provided him with a valuable emotional outlet.

Daphne remembered the day Kim met Wade's mother in person. Ophelia Mahalia Load--known as Mother Load, and loved by many--pastored a church, preached the Gospel, led a choir, raised foster children, and fed and clothed the poor. Daphne and Rich were with Kim and Ron at the mall--Kim had gotten over her reluctance to be seen with the new Teammates in public--when suddenly a brightly dressed woman of color called out to them from a hundred feet away: "Daphne and Richard Harte! Get over here and show your Mama some love!" and they embraced her eagerly--then she spotted Kim and Ron, and her face lit up like a searchlight. "Is that my baby's Kimmie and Ronnie? Oh, darlings, God bless your hearts, I've been wanting to meet you two for the longest time!" and she caught them both in her ample arm span. Kim cringed in absolute embarrassment; heads turned, people whispered, classmates snickered--or so it seemed; but she got over it, and fell in love with the gentle formidable woman, as everyone did.

"Wait--the Richmeister is getting an idea--lots of ideas!"

"Will this be as good as your 'Big Cheerleading Plan'?" asked Kim dryly.

"Oh, bigger and better."

"It was a week before any of the girls would would talk to me; Tara is still scared of you. We're lucky Barkin didn't suspend us _all_; he was _so_ tweaked!" It was indeed a memorable, infamous occasion--but that is another story. "Rich, how long will it take to set this up? It's only a week 'til Christmas."

Rich only grinned; the wheels were turning in the mind behind "Goofballs and Dorks"; Heaven alone knew what would result.

And on that note the weekly Team Possible Planning and Strategy Session ended.

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